For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled. And coming to college made that struggle harder. My first year here, I feared the infamous “freshman fifteen,” but to this day, I’ve maintained my weight. That doesn’t mean I’m completely happy with my body. I’m actually far from it, and I know many others who feel the same. However, being a college student busy with classes, a job, and trying to keep somewhat of a social life, the gym (for me at least) gets put on the back burner. By this point, it’s not even on the burner. It’s back in the cupboard collecting dust and cobwebs. While I watch my roommate in our living room doing her exercise DVDs on the TV, I sit there on the couch eating my full Sorrento’s pizza realizing that I’ve finally given up. I’ve accepted my tummy and my love handles. They’ve become a part of my life. Until I put in the effort to workout, or somehow stumble across six grand for liposuction, this extra fat is here to stay. And I know for a fact that I am not the only female who is stuck in this predicament.
But, what if I told you that this wasn’t how it had to be? What if I told you that you could get rid of those problem areas with a one-hour treatment? Seems too good to be true, right? Well, no it isn’t thanks to Harvard scientists and their new FDA approved and patented procedure CoolSculpting.
CoolSculpting removes fat by freezing. Yes, you read correctly: it literally freezes your fat cells to the point of elimination. The cooling process targets and kills your fat cells underneath the skin. Unlike other procedures, like laser treatment or surgery, there is no chance of damage to other healthy non-fat cells. Once the fat cells are crystallized, they die and are naturally removed from your body. Within a few short months, noticeable results can be seen. And multiple treatments can be done to remove more fat if you’re not satisfied!
The procedure is fairly simple. Once you’ve consulted with your clinician and selected the area or areas to be treated, he or she positions the CoolSculpting device on your body. It then draws the fat bulge up between the two cooling panels. The sensation is like a firm pull followed by pressure. You also will feel an intense cold which disappears within the first few minutes. During the treatment, you can keep yourself occupied. Some people read, nap or use their laptops.
On top of that, it’s only an hour long procedure and since it is non-invasive, no down time is required. After your treatment, you can get right back to your day and once you leave, you’re good to go: no follow up required. No knives. Or suction hoses. Or scars. How cool is that?
When I first saw a billboard in my hometown for this over winter break, I automatically looked it up. When I found out what it was, I automatically checked the price. Procedures like this always seem to be pricey, so I had to find out. I needed to know if this was a possible and tangible option for me someday (and by someday I mean soon). From what I’ve found, it’s thousands less than liposuction – which ranges from $4,000-$7,000. The average price for CoolSculpting was around $1,500. The highest I saw being close to $3,000 and the lowest at about $700. For me, that was enough to get me hooked. I can leave and get back to my day with little to no pain. There is no surgery and no damage to other parts of my body. I’m sold. Maybe one day I’ll hit the lottery and get it done. If not, I’ll be saving up until the day I can freeze my little fat cells away. Thank you Harvard, thank you.
And if you don’t believe me, here are some results:
40 days after one treatment
2 months after one treatment
Photo Credits:
http://www.coolsculpting.com/how-it-works/results/patient-1